


Catch a Wave (And you're sittin' on top of the world)

by Krank



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Damsels in Distress, Fluff, Head Injury, Humor, Lifeguard, M/M, One Shot, Pool, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 09:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1221679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krank/pseuds/Krank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall had fallen hard for a certain someone - quite literally! It's a good thing that 'certain someone' also happens to be a lifeguard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catch a Wave (And you're sittin' on top of the world)

**Author's Note:**

> _Title taken from a Beach Boys song. I really liked how this turned out! :) Kinda humorous._

“Tell me again why we’re at a water park?”

“Because our little Niall here wants to bump uglies with a lifeguard.”

“Fuck you.”

Zayn, Louis and Niall were sat in a row of beach chairs at the mouth of a vast wave pool located in their city’s water park. Behind them was a jumble of waterslides all twisted in amongst themselves, along with an equally dizzying staircase system that would make anyone lost. Somewhere in there was a hot tub.

What mattered, though, was the wave pool. Or better yet, the lifeguard that was on duty. His name was Harry Styles.

“Oh, Niall, stop it. It’s true, isn’t it? You certainly didn’t come here for the affordable entertainment.” Louis scoffed, flipping the page of his magazine.

“It _is_. But you make it sound so inappropriate. I came here to _observe_.” Niall propped his chin on his hand, never taking his eyes off of the prize.

Louis threw his magazine down with a slap, gathering brief attention to the three of them from other patrons. “You’re joking. Tell me you’re joking.”

Niall shrunk away from his imposing friend. “What?”

“You’re not even going to try and _speak_ with him? I didn’t pay thirty-five pounds so that you could go all sparkly-vampire on this guy and watch him from afar!” Louis stuck his finger in the blonds’ face.

Niall turned beat red. “Lou, I’ve barely said two words to him in class. The only reason I know he works here is because Liam and him were talking about it last week.”

It was true. Since starting uni in the fall, Niall had been gazing creepily at Harry from his spot in the back of the lecture hall, though he had never approached him. He’d accidentally run in to him on his first day and had been instantly taken by him, with his brilliant brown hair and green eyes. Harry wasn’t only a pretty face. No, he was much more. He was enigmatic, always striking up a conversation with their prof, or the people seated around him. He was outrageously kind and would do anything for anyone; he’d probably even give them the clothes off of his back if he had to. Niall had learned all of this through stealthy observation. He was also failing that class.

“I don’t care what you’ve done, you are marching up to that boy – oh! Who is _that_ tall drink of water?” Niall shifted around to see who Louis was looking at and rolled his eyes.

“That, Louis, is _Liam_. I’ve told you about Liam before.”

Harry was a friend to everyone, though he only had one _best friend_ , and that was Liam Payne. Liam was tall, and larger than Harry was. He was quiet, though just as kind, and when he smiled his eyes got squinty. He tended to get really excited about things, to the point where it was borderline annoying. He was a slight keener, and always got straight A’s because of it. He also looked _damn fine_ in a lifeguard uniform, Niall had to admit, which consisted of a white sleeveless vest and red shorts. Not as fine as Harry, though he was a close second.

“You never mentioned Liam was also a _lifeguard_ , Niall.” Louis pushed himself up out of his chair and stretched. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen.”

Niall watched Louis saunter over to Liam and insert himself in to his line of sight. Liam gave the shorter boy a thousand watt smile and Niall knew they had lost him. He hated how confident Louis was. Anything he wanted, he took. He grabbed life by the horns and made it his bitch. 

He heard a sigh next to him and remembered Zayn. Poor Zayn, dragged along on their big gay adventures. He often wondered why the dark skinned boy put up with them, but then he remembered how loyal Zayn was, almost to a fault. He also knew that Zayn loved watching him and Louis make complete asses of themselves, which happened roughly ninety-five percent of the time.

“I’m going to go grab some grub, if you don’t mind.” Zayn crawled out of his chair, digging around in his backpack for his wallet. “You want anything?”

“You know me, Zayn. I’m always hungry!” Niall grinned as his friend walked off in the direction of the canteen and Niall focused his attention back to Harry. The curly haired boy was stood at attention, smiling as he watched two small children wrestled themselves in to one inner tube. He was cute when he smiled.

Niall’s wonderful view was ruined moments later by Louis’ nylon-clad crotch.

“I come baring good news for your loins, lover boy!” He announced, rather loudly.

Niall stumbled to his feet and clapped his hand over the brunette’s mouth, effectively silencing him. “We’re in a family establishment, Lou! Would you mind dialing it back a little? We all remember how my parents found out about my batting for the other team, if you know what I’m getting at…”

Guilt flashed through Louis’ eyes. The year before he’d interrupted a Skype call with Niall’s father to announce rather victoriously that he had found Niall’s stash of raunchy gay magazines. It was the single most terrifying moment of the blonds’ life.

“Sorry, Ni. You know that I regret that. But it all worked out for the better, right?”

“You mean how my father hopped the first plane here, only to force me to go to a strip club with him?” Niall hissed, folding his arms over his chest.

Louis winced. “After that part. I meant about the whole ‘acceptance’ thing once he realized that you actually preferred the d.”

Niall sighed. Louis had some truly vulgar ways of putting things.

“But put all of that behind us, because Liam, who is dangerously good-looking I might add, said that you should just go over there and _talk_ to Harry!” Louis raised his arm to point at the curly-haired Adonis and Niall quickly slapped it down.

“You talked to _Liam_ about this?” Niall felt his face burn again for the second time that day.

“Of course I did! I needed to do some reconnaissance. Figured I’d go right to the source! He seemed generally excited about it; he was practically glowing!”

“Louis, Liam glows when that old bag in meal hall gives him extra macaroni and cheese on Wednesdays.”

“Doesn’t matter! What matters is that you strut your pasty Irish arse over to that boy and you _flirt_ with him like the god-fearing pansy that you are!” Louis gave Niall a shove in the lifeguard’s direction.

He took a deep breath, eyes traveling hungrily over Harry’s lean, tanned form. What would Niall say to him? What sort of things did Harry enjoy talking about? All the conversations Niall had ever overheard were about other people. Harry hardly ever talked about himself. He always seemed too interested in what other people were saying, which was another point in his favor.

Niall was so wrapped up in his thoughts as he walked towards his target; so wrapped up in all things _Harry_ that he paid very little attention to anything around him. He didn’t notice the group of teenagers re-arranging the lawn chairs along the side of the pool so that they could all sit together, and how one of the boys had swung one over his head for easy transportation. Niall didn’t notice the little girl running by, arms waving, or the fact that the siren indicating the start of the wave machine was sounding overhead.

What happened next would have been absolutely _hilarious_ if it hadn’t almost killed him. It all happened in a weird chain reaction, and ultimately worked in his favor; though, again, after almost killing him.

The little girl ran by, accidentally knocking the leg of the teenager holding the lawn chair in her haste. The boy stumbled and lost his grip, the chair he was holding swinging around and ultimately cracking Niall in the head, sending him stumbling off the edge of the pool. All it looked like to Niall, though, was a sudden burst of colors and then darkness.

He startled back in to consciousness when he hit the water, automatically taking a large breath in, though there was no air to be found, only water. He panicked and flailed, the man-made waves throwing him around until he didn’t know which way was up. He couldn’t breathe, and his body was starting to spasm from lack of oxygen. His vision began to darken around the edges.

 

Louis had been watching the entire thing unfold, and immediately jumped up out of his seat when he saw Niall take the hit. The blond wobbled for a nanosecond, and then teetered off the edge, down in to the water below. Louis screamed as he raced in to the pool, the waves slowing him down immensely. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Liam jogging along behind him, and up ahead of him, Harry Styles was plummeting in to the water after Niall, red rescue can tethered to his wrist.

As other lifeguards evacuated everyone from the pool in an orderly fashion, Harry dove to reach Niall’s sinking body. He managed to grab him and lift him to the surface, draping him over the rescue can. He treaded water quickly toward the shore, Liam meeting him halfway. When the water was shallow enough they carried Niall out, Louis coming up beside them.

“Oh my God, Niall! This wasn’t supposed to happen!”

“It’s alright, Louis, just stay back,” Liam offered a bit of comfort as they lowered Niall to the floor.

Harry was on him instantly with chest compressions.

Zayn appeared beside Louis, eyes wild. “What happened?”

“I don’t… I don’t know,” Louis squeaked, hands covering his face. “He was headed over to talk to Harry and got hit in the head – he fell in and didn’t come back up!”

“He was _what_?” Harry’s deep voice spoke.

“Focus!” Liam barked and Harry lowered his ear to Niall’s lips.

“He’s still not breathing!” The curly haired lifeguard then opened Niall’s mouth, pinched his nose, and breathed in to him, attempting to inflate his lungs with air.

 

Niall was pulled from the darkness to the feeling of water rushing up his esophagus. He choked and felt foreign hands roll him over. He began to vomit. Somewhere behind him someone was telling him to _let it all out_ and he could feel a hand rubbing his back. The world was spinning and he closed his eyes, trying to right himself. When his stomach was seemingly empty, he rolled on to his back.

“Niall! Niall, are you alright?” Louis. Niall nodded, not even sure if anyone would notice.

“Look at me.” A deeper voice said. “Open your eyes.”

Niall recognized it. When he eventually opened his eyes he looked up in to a pair of worried green ones. Wet curls framed a handsome face, the same handsome face that had been taking up his thoughts for the better part of the semester. Niall felt his entire body flush, and his heart rate increased significantly.

“Glad you could join us,” Harry smiled, reaching down and lifting each of his eyelids respectively. “Your pupils are dilated, so I suspect you have a concussion. There’s an ambulance on its way.”

“Hi,” Niall wheezed, and instantly wanted to take it back. _Hi? Really, Horan?_

“Hi!” Harry replied, grinning down at him.

“You know he’s always wanted to say that to you.” Louis chose that particular moment to cut in, squatting down beside Harry.

Niall turned evil eyes on his friend. “Louis! Shut up!” He started to cough, his throat still raw. He tried to get up, but a hand on his chest stopped him.

“Can’t let you do that, mate. We need to make sure that you’re in working order. Best wait until the real paramedics get here.” Liam chided.

 

The professionals arrived, and Niall was deemed healthy. Luckily he didn’t need to go to the hospital. His concussion was minor and he was told that he had to be woken up every three hours in order to assure that he didn’t slip in to a coma, which was a worst-case scenario. Louis would love that.

Speaking of Louis, the little fairy had had plenty of time to talk to Harry while Niall was getting checked out. The blond watched from a distance as Louis quite animatedly talked to the man of his dreams, knowing that nothing good could come from it. He longed to walk up to him and throttle him.

Niall was disappointed that he had completely missed his own resuscitation. He’d practically made it to first base with Harry Styles and he’d been unconscious the entire time.

“Hey there.”

Niall looked up and immediately looked away as Harry appeared next to him. He was seated in a lawn chair with a fancy ice pack cradled to his head.

“Here, let me,” Harry took the cold object from his hand and continued to apply pressure, taking the lawn chair next to him. “How are you feeling?”

“Completely ridiculous,” Niall replied, trying not to swoon at the fact that Harry was icing his goose egg.

“Nonsense! You gave us quite a scare.” _Us_.

“Sorry.”

Harry readjusted the ice pack. “So I was talking with your friend Louis…” _Here we go._ “He mentioned that you’ve been wanting to get to know me. Well, what he said was a little more inappropriate, but I got the general idea.”

“I apologize. They don’t let him out of the ward often,” Niall sighed. Harry burst in to laughter, and Niall was unable to keep a straight face. They sat in a comfortable silence, looking out at the pool. People had been allowed to swim again, and everyone had eyed Niall warily as they went back to their fun. He felt like he was terminally ill. Off to the side Louis was practically hanging off of Liam. Zayn was chatting up the canteen girl. Love was in the air.

“So listen! I have to get back to my job that I get paid to do.” Harry handed the ice pack back to Niall. “But I want you to come sit with me on Monday in class.”

“How did you know I was in your class?”

“Well, Louis told me… But even before that, I recognized you. I never forget a face.”

Niall smiled, wincing a little as he re-applied the ice pack to the side of his head. Little butterflies stirred in his stomach. He couldn’t really believe he was sat talking to Harry Styles. It was silly, but he never thought he’d ever get the guts. Apparently all it took was almost drowning and the guy saving his life to get a conversation going.

“Thank you, you know, for doing what you did.”

“It’s what I do.” Harry stood up and stretched, and Niall took the opportunity to ogle the wonderful expanse of tanned skin available to him. “But seriously, sit with me in class on Monday. Maybe we could go to lunch after?”

Niall’s heart leaped in to his throat and for a brief moment he felt like he was drowning again. “Sure!” He squeaked.

“Good. Just try not to die this time.” Before Harry walked away he leaned down and planted a small peck on the top of Niall’s head.

Niall sat back in his chair, watching as Harry returned to his post. The brunette kept looking over at him, a silly grin on his face. Niall was certain he had won the jackpot. The guy of his dreams had literally breathed life back in to him.

Putting himself in harms way had really gotten results.


End file.
